Topic 11 Lipids II

A micelle (see figure 11.1) is a substance formed from the aggregation of amphipathic, surfactant molecules in a polar solvent beyond their particular concentration (i.e., the critical micelle concentration):

Figure 11.1: Structure of a Micelle, a Bilayer, and a Liposome

Liposomes are useful carriers of drugs - this is because they can fuse with the cell membranes and hence empty their contents into the cell.